About trees.

One of the tasks in the activity calendar is focused on trees. Trees have always been very important in Czech culture. During the first centuries AD when old Celts lived in our area, trees used to be places where their Gods stayed and their druids used take tree leaves as the source of natural herbal medicine.
The following poem is read on English lessons and students like it a lot. Author is unknown.

TREES ARE GREAT

Trees are great, they just stand and wait
They don´t cry when they are teased
They don´t eat much and they seldom shout
Trees are easily pleased.

Trees are great, they like to congregate
For meetings in the park
They dance and sway, they stay all day
And talk till well after dark.

Trees are great, they accept their fate
When it´s pouring down with rain
They don´t wear macs, it runs off their backs
But you never hear them complain.

So answer me, please, if there weren´t any trees
Where would naughty boys climb?
Where would lovers carve their names?
Where would little birds nest?
Where would we hang the leaves?

Good tips for primary teachers - links to printable coloring pages with trees, often used by our teachers:

Coloring pages for primary level
Trees to color for primary classes
One more link with trees to color

Czech poem about trees

One of the best poets who wrote about trees in our country was JAN SKÁCEL. He lived here in Moravia and was connected with local nature. Nearly each of his lyrical poems mention one or more trees. Students of grade 9. altogether translated his poem KVETOUCÍ ALEJ - BLOOMING ALLEY.

BLOOMING ALLEY

We breathed away in the white alley
The flowers lay high in the trees as snow
And each tree here was celebrating life proudly
While wielding its flourishing power tirelessly

I was breaking my words
Like stone in an old quarry
My wife just said:
I would like to live in that tree

Jan Skácel on Wikipedia

Many of Skácel´s poems were used as song lyrics. The most famous here is Modlitba za vodu - PRAYER FOR WATER. This song became a symbol of human effort to keep water sources clean. Everybody in the Czech Republic knows this song. The melody and instruments are based on traditional music. The poetry of Jan Skácel has been attracting attention of young generations again and again.

The lime tree - Czech national symbol.

As nearly each country, Czech Republic has its national tree as well. It is a LIME - Tilia Cordata. Many of the lime trees growing in our country are nearly 5 centuries old.In the past, people used to get together in their shadow and talk about daily events. Lime trees were also important meeting points. Many of them are called after famous people - kings, chieftains or Saints.